05 Mar 2025

A total of 26 520 hectares has been planted this ploughing season by commercial and subsistence farmers in Chobe District.

Chobe District agronomist, Mr Kabo Muzila told BOPA yesterday that commercial farmers cultivated 25 367 hectares while 1 153 was for subsistence farmers. He said with the good rains experienced this year, there was hope for a bountiful harvest of about 60 bags or three tonnes of produce from every hectare planted by commercial farmers and a tonne from subsistence farmers.

Mr Muzila explained that Chobe did not experience floods like other parts of the country, and that the district only received heavy rains on January 8 to 14, which caused water logging in most farms. The heavy rains delayed ploughing because the soil type is clay and sticky with prolonged moisture content, Mr Muzila said.

He explained that the ploughing season elapsed on February 15 for small scale farmers but the journey continued for commercial ones in Pandamatenga who were currently planting winter resistant crops such as beans, wheat and safflower.

A total of 1 000 hectares is under irrigation farming in Pandamatenga where they plant wheat and maize, and those perform well under irrigation as opposed to rain supply, Mr Muzila said. He said safflower crop was gaining popularity in Chobe with many farmers exploring it for its high nutritional value, medicinal benefits and resilience against extreme drought.

He said this year, 150 hectares of safflower was planted compared to 92 hectares planted last year, an indication of growth for the crop that was new in Botswana.

Mr Muzila stated that most farmers in Molapo farms did not plant this year owing to shortage of tractors since Chobe Enclave Community Trust sold its tractors last year which were usually used to assist communities from Mabele to Parakarungu.

He said Molapo was a risk area because of the unpredictability of the Zambezi River overflows that fed into the Chobe River and spilled into Chobe River floodplains where Molapo farms were. Surveillance is ongoing for any pests outbreak and the district agricultural office is on the lookout for armyworm which has ravaged crops in most regions, Mr Muzila said.  ENDS